Fubara To Swear In New Rivers LG Chairmen Today

Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, is set to swear in the newly elected council chairmen today, Sunday, October 6, 2024, at the Executive Council Chambers, Government House, Port Harcourt.

The ceremony is scheduled to begin at 4 p.m., according to a statement signed by the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Tammy Danagogo.

The statement further noted that the newly elected chairmen, along with one guest each, are expected to arrive and be seated by 3:30 p.m.

The announcement follows the declaration of results by Justice Adolphus Enebeli (retd.), the Chairman of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC), who confirmed that 22 chairmanship candidates from the Action Peoples Party (APP) emerged victorious in the local government elections held on October 5, 2024.

Enebeli stated that these candidates secured a majority of valid votes cast in two-thirds of their respective wards across the 22 local governments.

However, the electoral process was marred by incidents of violence and chaos in some areas.

Notably, a disturbance occurred at Elekahia Primary School in Port Harcourt City, where armed individuals in police uniforms disrupted proceedings, causing RSIEC officials and voters to flee for safety.

Eyewitnesses reported that 21 Hilux patrol vans filled with heavily armed men entered the venue and fired tear gas canisters.

Additionally, two explosions were reported at the All Progressives Congress (APC) secretariat along Aba Road and the Obio/Akpor Local Government secretariat.

The state police command has stated that their units responded swiftly to these incidents, collecting samples for investigation.

Concerns about the integrity of the elections were further compounded by reports of RSIEC officials’ absence in Ward 9, Rumueprikom, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, which is the hometown of Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory.

A voter named Oluchi told Punch, “Election did not hold in Rumuiprikom; that’s what we noticed. But in other places, they’re doing elections. We don’t even know what happened.”

Similar issues were reported on NTA Road, Mgbuoba, and Ozuoba communities within the Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, raising questions about the overall conduct of the elections.

As the swearing-in ceremony approaches, the Rivers State government faces the challenge of addressing these electoral controversies while moving forward with local governance.